Women's World Cup lawsuit

Compare and contrast

"To properly maintain a synthetic playing field you must be acutely aware of its condition to properly accommodate the day to day activities it is being used for. It is important that any minor damage be repaired immediately because a small problem may eventually grow to a large repair."Limonta Sports USA [GeoTurf] Maintenance Procedures

"Maintaining the surface is relatively simple and less expensive than maintaining a grass surface."Kristopher Harrison, E.D.Superintendent of Schoolspermanent link

"What you need to know"

From Forbes: Taxpayers fooled on cost of turf

﻿8-year warranty, 15-year bond . . . ﻿

Towns all across America are struggling with their budgets. The nation remains stuck in the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression. In states like New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts household income actually fell last year. And retirees everywhere living on their savings are being hurt by near zero interest rates.So why are some municipalities still spending big bucks to install artificial turf fields? Main reason: taxpayers have been getting hoodwinked by bogus analysis into thinking artificial turf fields are cheaper than natural grass.But the reality is that non-partisan studies have shown the exact opposite–natural grass fields are a bargain compared to artificial turf due to the huge costs taxpayers get stuck with to maintain and replace artificial fields after their warrantees expire. One of the artificial turf industry’s selling points is that an artificial turf field will last eight-to-10 years, even though the usual warranty runs for only eight, and that the initial exorbitant cost of installation is recouped in no time from tens of thousands in savings from no longer maintaining a natural grass fields.. . .

[. . . ]

The fallacy in all this has to do with the concept of “saving” from maintenance of natural grass fields. Even if the budget shows an amount for the maintenance of a natural grass field, the chances are that the amount is not spent on the filed. Tax revenue is fungible. Anyone who claims that there are “savings” needs to show how much in reality has been spent on the field in any given fiscal year going back ten years. What this also does not tell is that the savings, assuming there are any real savings, pay only for the initial installation; the savings do not pay for the replacement of the field in eight to 10 years, or perhaps longer.

But since artificial town fields are a new phenomenon, many taxpayers who voted for artificial fields are only now finding out their real cost.

Elite female soccer players suing over turf

from ESPN:

﻿"More than 40 of the world's top female soccer players are preparing to sue FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association in a Canada court next week after the two organizations missed a Friday deadline to reconsider staging next summer's Women's World Cup in Canada on artificial turf fields, a source told ESPN.

The suit argues that forcing them to compete on turf and not grass -- the surface every men's World Cup since 1930, including the 2014 tournament in Brazil, has been played on -- amounts to gender discrimination, which violates Canadian law."﻿ELITE PLAYERS TO SUE FIFA IN TURF WARBy Doug McIntyre | Sep 26, 2014ESPN The Magazinepermanent link

Healthy soil, healthy people

. . . . With the release last summer of the results of the five-year National Institutes of Health's Human Microbiome Project, we are told we should think of ourselves as a "superorganism," a residence for microbes with whom we have coevolved, who perform critical functions and provide services to us, and who outnumber our own human cells ten to one.

[. . . ]

But there is another major revolution in human health also just beginning based on an understanding of tiny organisms. It . . . allows us to understand and restore our collaborative relationship with microbiota not in the human gut but in another dark place: the soil.

[ . . . ]

. . . As Michael Pollan recently noted, "Some researchers believe that the alarming increase in autoimmune diseases in the West may owe to a disruption in the ancient relationship between our bodies and their 'old friends' -- the microbial symbionts with whom we coevolved.". . . By many calculations, the living soil is the Earth's most valuable ecosystem, providing ecological services such as climate regulation, mitigation of drought and floods, soil erosion prevention, and water filtration, worth trillions of dollars each year.

[ . . . ]

We hear about many endangered animals in the Amazon and now all around the world. We all know about the chainsaw-wielding workers cutting trees in the rainforest. But we hear relatively little about the destruction of the habitat of kingdoms of life beyond plant and animal -- that of bacteria and fungi. Some microbiologists are now warning us that we must stop the destruction of the human microbiome, and that important species of microorganisms may have already gone extinct, some which might possibly play a key role in our health.permanent link

Real soil is good for mood and learning

Many people, including me, talk about the restorative benefits of gardening (see last Tuesday’s post, for example) and the reasons why it makes us feel good. Just being in nature is already therapeutic, but actively connecting with nature through gardening is value-added. And why is that? All sorts of reasons have been posited: It’s a meditative practice; it’s gentle exercise; it’s fun; it allows us to be nurturing and to connect with life on a fundamental level.

And some recent research has added another missing piece to the puzzle: It’s in the dirt. Or to be a little more specific, a strain of bacterium in soil, Mycobacterium vaccae, has been found to trigger the release of serotonin, which in turn elevates mood and decreases anxiety. And on top of that, this little bacterium has been found to improve cognitive function and possibly even treat cancer and other diseases. Which means that contact with soil, through gardening or other means (see Elio, above), is beneficial.How did this discovery come about?permanent link

CDC advises schools on preventing MRSA

"The CDC is advising schools that the best way to prevent MRSA is to disinfect common areas, like whirlpools and showers; stop the practice of sharing towels and soap; and encourage frequent hand washing. Players should see trainers about every abrasion, which should be cleaned and covered immediately."Field of Nightmares by Patricia Hart May 2006Texas Monthlypermanent link

2 to 3 turf burns per week

"On an average week, Rams players reported two to three “turf burns,” severe abrasions where the skin is rubbed raw by high-velocity contact with artificial turf."Field of Nightmares by Patricia Hart May 2006Texas Monthlypermanent link

$0 for math, millions for turf

October 2013: IUFSD's curriculum director explains why the district chose to adopt engageny math sight-unseen (at the time of adoption, engageny had not been written) instead of piloting established math curricula and choosing the best one. ﻿

The reason: a K-5 math curricula costs $100K.

Engageny was free.

The results of choosing a free, not-yet-written math curriculum for the district's youngest children can be seen here.

District financial statements

7-year turf

The fields in this 2013 video were installed in 2005 and 2006. By 2012, they needed a $55K repair:

"Bentonville High School Football Coach Barry Lunney said it is time for the artificial turf to be replaced.

“We are at a point right now where we really don’t have a choice or we may be not be able to play,” Lunney said. “I mean, that’s where we are.”

Passmore said the district had the fields evaluated in 2012. Rubber was added to the football stadium, indoor facility and softball fields at a cost of $55,000.

“We ended up having to do several thousand dollars of renovations just to try and get the fields to last a couple more years,” Passmore said. “Now we are at this point. We are having some problems with the fibers, and the seams on the fields are wore out.”

Lunney said the current condition of the field can be hazardous to those using it.

To the editor:﻿When I see the statement that synthetic turf is more durable than that of natural fields which is espoused by representatives of the artificial field industry and repeated by lay persons and even printed in newspapers as fact, they are perpetuating a myth that couldn’t be farther from the truth. People see the current conditions of Meszaros Field in Irvington and assume that is what you get from all grass fields. Modern technology however has created a grass playing field at least if not more durable than that of a fake surface. The majority of the work associated with durability and proper drainage has to do with how you design and build what is below the surface of the field itself. A well designed natural grass field starts with a system of drainage pipes surrounded by gravel a foot or so below the surface. Then there is a layer of sand which absorbs water and stands up to compaction really well. Finally in the root zone of the grass a polypropylene mesh is inserted. This mesh does several things; most importantly it makes the grass incredibly strong and durable but also increases water infiltration rates by increasing pore space, improves the surface stability and evenness and decreases divots, improves recovery time of the grass because the plants are healthier and diminishes the impact shock of the field thus reducing concussion risks. In a field build with this type of subsurface you wouldn’t have to delay games due to rain and it is so strong that you can literally drive a heavy truck on it without damaging the field. The drainage system is superior to that of a synthetic field with has similar drainage rates of water but the natural field’s advantage lies in the fact that more water can be absorbed into the ground and harmful contaminants such as animal fecal matter and bacteria are naturally filtered from the runoff. When it comes to the playing surface itself many scientific advances have been made in creating grasses that are much more durable and drought resistant than that of the past. Finally, when a section of a natural grass field becomes worn you can simply and easily replant the damaged section. When a synthetic field becomes worn or ripped you have to throw it away and replace the whole field at great cost. The surface proposed for Meszaros only comes with an eight year warranty. Charles Kibel R.A. Irvington, NY

(Charles Kibel was a member of the fields committee in 2008.)﻿permanent link

Questions to ask before buying turf

From the University of Arkansas's Turf Tips:Artificial turf (in-fill type) is a relatively new product. As such, its complete life span and maintenance requirements are not fully known. When considering the purchase of one of these systems, the answer to several questions should be researched prior to purchase. These questions include (adapted from Natural Grass and Artificial Turf: Separating Myths and Facts)(3):

Will the artificial turf manufacturing and installation company provide a warranty specifying the expected life of the product?

Will the selling firm provide a warranty bond for the life of the product? This will ensure that there is some legitimate recourse in the event of a product failure even if the seller is no longer in business.

What is the longest period of time the artificial field being specified has been in use at another school, college, or university?

What conditions or maintenance practices will void the field’s warranty?

Does a single warranty cover all aspects of the artificial field’s soil base preparation, base materials, artificial turf materials, etc; will there be separate warranties and warranty voiding conditions for each element, some of which could contravene each other?

What is the minimum and maximum financial investment in specialized equipment that must be purchased to maintain the artificial field at a level that will provide maximum playing conditions and maintain the warranty?

What level of technical training is supplied, recommended, or required for the maintenance crew in order to properly maintain the area and the warranty conditions?

What are the warranty requirements or recommended processes to address each of the following repair or replacement demands of the artificial surface:

Damage caused by fire? Large and small areas.

Damage caused by vandalism?

Discoloration of areas caused by wear pattern differences?

Replacement of areas caused by wear or other physical or weather-related damage?

'Like that knee you skinned when you were 10, the grass field heals, and doesn't age like a spent widget"

﻿Another thing to remember: the working life of artificial turf is said to be ten years. Like anything artificial, this’ll be pretty much a straight-line progression (maybe regression or retrogression would be a better usage) so at year five, the kids will be playing on something somewhat worn, likely smelly, and definitely hot. At year nine or ten, when a future Board and electorate are wrestling with replacement, the sensory perception of this torrid surface will be quite unappealing, to say the least.

Contrast that with a well-drained and well managed natural cool turf field. Like that knee that you skinned when you were ten, the grass field heals over and doesn’t age like a spent widget. The kids should play on a resilient, cool and earthy field – not a surface from a video game. Ants scurry between the blades of grass, worms tunnel beneath it, the rhizomes of the grass plants spread the living carpet to heal any empty spots. The fragrant ground is a little different after a sun shower than before, a little greener in May than November - it’s not a monochrome, but neither is life. To willingly put young athletes out onto the hot stinky made-for-TV carpet that is artificial turf seems a terrible disservice to them.

Make no mistake, the recent turf management program at the school fields has been sub-optimal. Partly, I believe that the decade-old push within the Board for artificial surfaces may have diminished any resolve to institute proper turf management. Nonetheless, a well-designed and well-kept natural grass field trumps all comers, in cost and especially in quality of life for the athletes, neighbors and wildlife.

Hidden demographics of youth sports - ESPN

Indeed, Sabo's WSF data paints a distinct picture of suburbs where swaths of kids in elementary and middle school, especially boys, play on three, four or five teams, and the culture revolves around their practices, tourneys and getting to their games. In contrast, childhood in cities and rural areas isn't as intensely sports-focused."permanent link

Civil engineer: installing conduits & lights later costs no more than installing conduits now & lights later

Conversation with a registered civil engineer:

Installing conduits & stadium lights down the line is not a problem. There is no reason for it to cost appreciably more than it would now.

You want lighting set back a ways from the field; you don't want it displacing bleachers or track.

And you don't need to run cable under the field. You run cable around the field.

The district can do that at any time. No need to install conduits now.

Bottom line: omitting the conduits from the bond referendum now has no bearing on the cost of putting them in later.permanent link

Stadium lights for Meszaros Field?

60-foot portable stadium light (to rent)

"Artificial turf is not a premiere surface"

"It really goes down to this: The men would never play a World Cup on turf, so why should the women? It's the same tournament. It's the World Cup," U.S. forward Sydney Leroux said.

[ . . . ]

. . . [T]he dispute is generating buzz after NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant went to Twitter in support of the players.Bryant tweeted a photo of Leroux's battered legs after playing on turf.

"It's crazy. Should be grass stains, not blood," Leroux said. "How are you supposed to play with raspberries all over your legs in two, three days. You can't play as hard."

Some suggest the players are more timid on artificial turf and the game itself is impacted.

"It's a really big difference. The ball slides on turf. The bounce is different. Everything is different. It's not as real as grass. You can't slide tackle someone, you can't do all the great things that come with playing soccer, on turf, you just can't," Leroux said.

The controversy is not new. Many players were voicing their concern even last summer, when the U.S. team played a friendly in Canada. Striker Abby Wambach called out FIFA for gender discrimination and started a petition, which led to the letter sent to FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association in late July.

"The best players in the world deserve premier playing surfaces. Simply put, artificial turf is not a premier surface in the soccer world," the letter states."Your Move, FIFA Tom Hanks Has Joined Women's World Turf WarAnne M. Peterson8/27/2014.............................................Neither the superintendent nor the board argues that artificial turf is a premiere surface. They see it as a practical solution to an intractable problem.

We have heard only from vendors of artificial turf ("vendor materials" here). Not surprisingly, people who want to sell us turf believe that our problems are intractable and the solution is turf.

Never has the district reached out to an independent researcher--or even to a vendor whose product is grass, not turf--to investigate whether there is a case to be made for installing a premiere surface on Irvington's athletic fields.

Vendors are vendors. They believe in what they're selling, and they don't believe in what they're not selling.

Wrinkled in Ridgewood

from The Ridgewood News:

"The final repair of the wrinkles left on new turf installed on Ridgewood High School's (RHS) Stadium Field after flooding this month cost the school district about $21,000, Superintendent Daniel Fishbein disclosed at a Board of Education (BOE) meeting Monday night.

Answering an initial question from BOE member Laurie Goodman, who asked for a cost estimate of the cleanup of the fields following heavy rains on April 16, Fishbein responded that the cleanup was being conducted by the district's contracted custodial company, "so there's no additional costs."However, when The Ridgewood News questioned Fishbein during the public comment portion of the meeting about the cost of hiring an outside company, LandTek, to repair the turf wrinkles, the superintendent reported that the field repair in fact cost about $21,000."I'm sorry. There was a cost for LandTek. I neglected to say that," he said, adding that he considered the repair of the wrinkles a "correction" and not a "clean-up" cost."Ridgewood turf field's 'wrinkle release' costs $21,000 APRIL 27, 2011, 9:52 AM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011, 9:52 AMBY KELLY EBBELSSTAFF WRITERTHE RIDGEWOOD NEWShat tip: SynTurfpermanent link

To assume cork dust is safe because nobody told you it isn't is the wrong way to proceed.

Yes, of course, in everyday life we all take fliers all the time; we can't pause to research every product a vendor persuades us to buy.

But elected members of the Board making a decision on behalf of the community are different. They need to do their homework, and they have been provided the necessary resources (which we as individuals lack) to acquire the testimony of independent researchers. Independent researchers were not heard from in this case.

Instead, the superintendent and at least some members of the board wanted artificial turf from the get-go, and they established a process guaranteed to yield the desired result:

The superintendent hand-picked committee members himself instead of drawing names from a hat, the policy his predecessor, to her great credit, established when committee selection processes were reformed during her tenure. Prior to that reform, district committees were often stacked; dissenters and skeptics were barred from participation. Under the new administration, we are back to the future.

The superintendent instructed the committee that no minority report would be allowed.

The board did not hear presentations from representatives of turfgrass(the term of art for natural grass).

It should go without saying that vendors do not "provide studies" suggesting potential health hazards of the product they are pitching. That is not their job. Vendors are vendors; vendors sell.

And, of course, the fact that a member of the board has not been "provided studies" of cork worker's lung (or respiratory disease in coir workers) does not mean studies do not exist. They do.

Nor does it mean that breathing cork and/or coconut-shell dust during heavy play can be simply assumed to be safe.

To assert that breathing cork and/or coconut-shell dust is safe because you haven't been "provided with" studies showing it isn't is analogous to asserting that smoking cigarettes is safe because you haven't been provided with studies showing that smoking cigarettes leads to lung cancer. (Which is precisely what skeptics did assert in the 1960s.) The conclusion doesn't follow from the premise.Is cork dust safe to breathe when you're playing soccer or football?

Is coconut-shell dust safe?

Are cork dust and coconut dust safe for all student athletes, including those with asthma?

Meszaros upkeep neglected

UPDATE 9/18/2014: district children "choke on dust"

Artificial turf changes the game

"In an informal survey by FOXSoccer.com, there was unanimity among the United States women's national team in its opposition and revulsion to a World Cup on turf. "It's not the same game," says midfielder Shannon Boxx.

"It plays totally different," explains playmaker Megan Rapinoe, who relies heavily on her touch. "You have to scoop [the ball] instead of chip. Your touch is different; the way you dribble is different."

In the back, goalkeeper Hope Solo would have to contend with altered ball speeds and bounces. "The ball might come at a different pace; it's never consistent," she says. "The bounce is never consistent, how it's going to skip. It takes away my ability to read the ball. I'm not as confident playing on turf."

Artificial grass also prevents them from playing with their usual abandon. "I like to defend and tackle and slide-tackle," says midfielder Carli Lloyd. "You're hesitant on turf. I play a bit different. You walk away with scrapes and burns. It's just not fun."

"You have to reconsider doing something for fear of injuring yourself," says Wambach.

Since the USA will most likely practice on turf fields as well -- during the tournament and probably in much of its preparations, in order to replicate game conditions -- the wear and tear will be worse than usual on a surface that studies have shown to cause more injuries. "You're going to be more sore; you're going to be scraped up; you could take on a massive injury and be out for the rest of the tournament," says Wambach. "You want to play on a surface that's as forgiving as possible. Injuries happen on grass too, but they're just much less frequent. Grass gives."USWNT stars not backing down on artificial playing surface stanceLeander Shaerlaeckens Fox Soccer 9/10/2014permanent link

4-year old turf fields failing

"Across the U.S., football coaches and their players are gearing up for a new season on the gridiron. But for some colleges and high schools, the preparations include a big and unexpected job: putting in a new artificial-turf field.

In the past decade fake-grass fields like those the pros play on have gone mainstream, turning up not just in big stadiums but at high schools, city parks, even some middle schools, usually at a cost of $400,000 to $700,000. But dozens of fields installed between 2006 and 2009 were flawed and are now falling apart, forcing schools to replace playing surfaces they once thought would last a decade or more."The Bare Spots in the Turf Schools Are Replacing Playing Surfaces Showing Signs of Wear and TearBy NEAL E. BOUDETTEUpdated Aug. 20, 2013 5:23 p.m. ETpermanent link

45% greater strain on knee ligaments

Please vote no on the bond referendum October 7th at Main Street School

﻿﻿﻿The school board is ﻿asking﻿ you to vote yes or no on a bond referendum that includes various facility infrastructure improvements, installation of natural grass on East Field, a new track and installation of an artificial turf athletic field. VOTE NO. Let the School Board know that you want a new bond.﻿﻿Irvington wisely voted NO to artificial turf in 2006 and 2008. Artificial turf is harmful to health, safety and the environment. Let’s support our student athletes with well-maintained natural grass athletic fields and a better plan. What is the proposed artificial turf?﻿

25 tons of artificial plastic grass carpet

Millions of plastic grass blades held up by 2-3 inches of ground cork and/or coconut shells